Kim Sheehy a Big Sandy Hero
Every town has its heroes. Some of those heroes everybody knows, others do their work so no one knows. That is what Kim Sheehy did. She quietly did her advocating for people with Developmental Disabilities for over 20 years. It is difficult to measure her impact, but you can understand when I tell you that if a strong woman like Kim fought for the rights of an individual you know they were strengthened by the process. Kim was a strong woman and she brought to the table that strength and fought to make sure that the individuals were treated with the respect they deserved.
She started by being appointed to the Regional DD Council which included a large part of central Montana. So, it wasn’t just Big Sandy that she influenced. After the state disbanded the Council, a move she fought against because she felt individuals were being slighted, she was appointed to Big Sandy Activities Human Rights Committee. It was here that she fought for individuals to be treated like normal residence of Big Sandy. She had a very clear understanding of what was right and what was wrong. She understood that there was a risked in treating people with dignity. She wanted them to grow as individuals, not just be patients with numbers.
She also served on the board eventually becoming President and helped guide the direction of Big Sandy Activities. I understand that her strength as influenced me and I respect her greatly. I write to thank her once again for helping to influence the lives of the people we serve at Big Sandy Activities.
Lorrie Merrill
Executive Director Big Sandy Activities.
